Run on Fuel

Ever wonder why you can’t fuel and eat like the males in your life and get the same results? 🤔

We are not the same & we need to take our unique needs into consideration if we want to feel and perform our best! 💪

If you’re ready to take your performance and health to the next level, I would love to work with you!

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What else would YOU add?

Here’s my add-ons:
▶️ Eat fermented foods (yes, there are some exceptions where they are not beneficial for some people, but they are great for the majority of us!).
▶️ Take care of your oral hygiene. Brush at least 2 time per day + soon after eating high sugar foods- usually post run/workout. Avoid antiseptic mouthwash.
▶️ Avoid UNNECESSARILY taking medications when they are not warranted. Obviously take antibiotics when they are necessary, but they are often over prescribed, so ask your doctor if they are truly necessary for your situation. Avoid regularly taking ibuprofen when it’s not truly necessary.
Become very educated on ANY and ALL medications you take to learn their side effects, including on gut health.
▶️ Get enough fiber but don’t overdue it. Also, aim for diversity of plant foods. 30 grams of fiber is a good goal for most people, including athletes. Be strategic about when you eat fiber rich foods. Too much fiber the night before a long run or event is a bad idea, and so is a fiber rich pre-run meal/snack.

I’m sure I could add many more ‘tips’ here but I will not overwhelm. 😂 What would you add?

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It’s so important to support your hormones as a female athlete! Your nutrition plays a huge role in this. Under-fueling and overtraining is a common way females get into a bad spot with their hormones. 😬

Even if you’re not under-fueling, your hormones fluctuate during your cycle and change as you age. It’s important to understand what your body needs & when. If you ignore the signs that your body needs additional support, your body will start acting out (fatigue, poor performance, weight changes, etc, etc).

Be proactive and support your body and hormones. ☺️

Are you getting enough calcium? 🤔

Many athletes I begin to work with are not meeting their calcium needs❗️

Why is this important?
Well, calcium works in SO many ways in our body…

➡️ stabilizes blood pressure
➡️ promotes insulin sensitivity
➡️ helps your muscles contract
➡️ maintains strong bones

Calcium is SO important in our body that if we are not getting enough calcium in our diet, our body pulls calcium FROM our bones 🦴

We know that strong bones are especially important to endurance athletes to prevent bone stress injuries! 🏃

As important as calcium is, endurance athletes lose some in their sweat… making it even MORE important to make sure you are meeting your calcium needs to replenish that electrolyte! 💦

If you want to continue to run strong, you should be getting adequate calcium!

See the post for examples on how to incorporate calcium-rich foods into your diet 🥬🧀🥛

I can help you maximize your running performance through improved fueling strategies- all while helping you prevent micronutrient deficiencies that are common in runners!

If this is something you're ready to address, apply for my coaching program 🙌 Send me a DM for more info!

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Is a sports dietitian right for you❓

You may think you have to be a professional or elite athlete to benefit from working with a sports dietitian…

That is NOT the case ❌
Dialing in your nutrition with the help of a sports nutrition expert 🙋🏻‍♀️ can take your performance to the next level AND make you feel strong and healthy along the way.

Here are just a couple of the many ways you could benefit from working with me

👉 Take the guesswork out of your nutrition and fueling strategy. Fueling for your best performance doesn’t have to be complicated and I can help you navigate the best strategy for you.

👉 Eliminate GI issues! I can help you train your gut to tolerate all the fuel you need AND feel your best during your training. 🏃‍♀️

👉 Meet your nutrient needs to prevent injury and reach your specific goals, in the healthiest way! I can help you navigate your specific energy and nutrition needs, in a way that works for YOU. 🙌

If you want to find this confidence in your nutrition 🔗 apply to work with me OR ✉️ send me a message!

When is the best time to start? 🤔
Earlier the better. Don’t hold off until you’re a couple months out of a big race. We can dial in your nutrition and fueling strategy early on so you can start your training being the healthiest version of you! 🏃🏻‍♀️

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Do you know if you are getting enough protein on a daily basis? 🤔

Most endurance athletes need between 1.5-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. The amount you need will depend on many factors, including training volume.
Work with your sports dietitian to dial in the amount that is optimal for you! 🙌

Tracking your daily protein can be a pain. Instead, learn the protein content of foods you commonly eat, and make sure you get >25 grams of protein per meal and to include a protein source with most snacks! 🌯🥜

Refer to the post for what a sample day of eating would look like to meet 120-140 grams of protein per day! You may need more or less than this, but it gives you a good visual reference. 🙂 Remember to vary your protein sources to optimize your nutrition. 🍣 🍳🌮

If you are feeling hungry all the time, despite feeling like you’re eating enough to meet your energy needs, consider assessing your protein intake. Protein is satiating, so if you're not getting enough, you may not be able to kick that constant hunger! 🙃
Protein has sooo many important functions, with one of them being muscle repair! 🏃🏻‍♀️You need to keep your body strong to perform and feel your best! 💪

What's your favorite protein rich food?

If you're ready to optimize your nutrition for better performance 🏃🏻‍♀️and health, apply to work with me! 😃

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Do you ever feel like you are always hungry or that your sugar cravings are excessive?

Experiencing either of these can feel really stressful! You may be wondering if there is something wrong with you, or feel that you need more willpower to ignore the hunger or cravings. 🙄❌

These are common complaints I hear from athletes, and the solution is usually the same. If this is something you struggle with, try out the following tips:

➡️ Fuel more (and enough) surrounding your workouts. This includes before, during, and after.
➡️ Eat breakfast soon after you wake, and make sure it’s balanced and substantial.
➡️ You may need 2 breakfasts or at least a substantial snack late morning 🥯
➡️ Prioritize lunch, despite how busy you are. Make your lunch another balanced meal. 🥪🍎
➡️ Eat the foods you are craving, eating something else usually will not make the craving go away. 🍪Also, make sure you are not restricting certain foods 🍞(unless you’re allergic)
➡️ Remember that your energy needs are high due to your training, 🏃🏻‍♀️it’s ok and to be expected that you will be eating more and more often than others around you- that’s not a bad thing!
➡️ Protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs will be the most satiating, and getting that combo of food groups/ macronutrients is important! 🥑🍞🍳🍇
➡️ Adequate sleep and hydration also play a role in your appetite and food cravings! 😴

If you’re interested in improving your nutrition, performance, and overall health, apply to work with me. I’m now enrolling for August! 🙌

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You are super busy, I get it!

Despite your crazy schedule, you do not need to settle for poor or inadequate nutrition.

There are many tips and tricks you can learn that will make healthy eating practical, despite how hectic your schedule is! 🙃

One of my favorite tricks is to plan your meals and snacks out just one day in advance. Ideally, you have a ‘back-up’ option in mind, so if the meal you decided on does not sound good, or you do not have the time to prepare, you can choose that next best option! 🌯🥘

It can be stressful and impractical to plan out your meals and snacks for the whole week! That’s why I suggest only 1 day in advance. Base it off of what foods you have on hand, what foods you anticipate you will want, and what your schedule will look like. 📆

By having a plan, you can minimize the stress of having to think about what to eat once you’re already hungry- which can lead to poor choices.

Remember that VERY simple meals can be healthy and balanced, there is no need to prepare elaborate meals! 🙅🏻‍♀️

What’s a time saving trick that you use, when it comes to your nutrition?

This is one of the many topics discussed in my endurance nutrition coaching program! If you’re interested in improving your performance and health, apply to work with me! I’m now enrolling for August! 😁

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How do you feel about your nutrition?

Your eating habits impact many aspects of your life, including your performance, health, and even your energy levels!⚡️🏃🏼‍♂️

If you’re confused about what you should be eating, as an endurance athlete, a good place to start is to choose balanced meals throughout the day + several snacks. Avoid skipping meals, as that will cause you to overeat later on.

Another great way to optimize your nutrition, health, and performance, is to work with a sports dietitian 🙋🏻‍♀️.
I’m currently enrolling clients- send me a DM if you’re interested!

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Another hot summer is here! 🥵 Have you made any adjustments to your hydration and fueling strategy? 🤔

The most important thing to remember is hydration is key‼️ Adequate hydration is critical to help prevent your body from overheating.🔥

The recommendations listed in this post include a very wide range! This is because your needs should be individualized and specific for the conditions of the run (temp, humidity, duration, effort, etc.). 🏃🏻‍♀️☀️

Your during-run hydration should be an electrolyte containing sports drink, not just plain water. Use plain water to wash down your gels and other sports foods.

If you do not pay attention to how much fluid, electrolyte, and carbs you are getting in per hour 🏃🏼‍♂️, start there! Then increase, as needed! 🧂

I’m currently enrolling for my running nutrition coaching program. If you are ready to take your health and performance seriously, apply to work with me! 🙌

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Do you have your long run this weekend?

Your preparation should start the day before! If you prioritize your hydration, electrolytes, and carbohydrates, starting the day before, you will feel a lot stronger during your long run. 💪🏃🏽

Remember that hydration does not have to be just water! 💦 Vary up your beverage of choice to encourage adequate hydration. 🥤🧃🧋

Don’t skimp on the salt! You will need more when training in these hot temps!🧂☀️ Simply add salt to the foods you prepare at home and make sure to include some foods rich in potassium! 🥔 🍌

Get plenty of carbs with each meal and snack, 🥯🥞 and yes, it’s ok to get carbs through your beverages too! 🧃

Aside from nutrition/ hydration, remember to prioritize your sleep and give your body the rest it needs! 😴

What do you do to prepare for your long run days?

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Do you have an ultra coming up? Comment below! ⬇️

One common mistake I see runners make is not getting enough carbs during their training! 😬 You can’t expect to tolerate enough carbs the day of the event if you haven’t been practicing with enough!

Some runners have a more sensitive digestive systems than others, but it’s important for EVERYONE to practice their fueling strategy, starting early on in training! 🗓 Just as you need to train your body to run the distance, you need to train your body to tolerate the fuel it needs to accomplish these ultra endurance events! 💪⛽️

This is just one important piece to the whole fueling puzzle! If you want to optimize your nutrition for your upcoming event and during all the hard training leading up to it- reach out to me for support! 🙌

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Are you approaching food and nutrition in a healthy way? 🤔

Runners are a super motivated bunch! We get out there and put in a ton of work, which takes a lot of discipline and structure.💪

Our approach to food and nutrition is often no different. We are motivated to eat healthy for our performance! 🙌

But… sometimes our ‘healthy’ eating and food beliefs can be off, and actually be disordered! 😬

If you are a runner who takes their nutrition seriously, first off, that’s awesome! 👏 But, I would do a fair self assessment to make sure you’re actually eating in a way that supports long term health and performance. For example, are you meeting your energy needs? Do you eat a balanced diet?

It’s always a good idea to work with a sports dietitian if you are serious about your performance and your health! If this is something you are considering, reach out to me for more info about my program options! 😁

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As an endurance athlete, you probably understand the important role that iron plays in our bodies! 🏃🏼‍♂️🩸

BUT, do you know which foods are ACTUALLY high in iron and how certain food components can impact it’s absorption? 🤔

There are 2 forms of iron that we get from our diet- Heme and non-heme iron. Heme iron is only found in animal products, as it is derived mainly from hemoglobin and myoglobin 🥩. Non-heme iron makes up 100% of the iron found in plant-based sources 🥗.

Heme iron is more bioavailable than non-heme iron sources! One of several reasons for this is that the non-heme iron sources often contain substances that inhibit iron's absorption! That can make things tricky for plant-based athletes! 🥬 However, it's still possible to get enough through plant-based foods IF there is proper planning and awareness of what to pair those foods with. 🥙🍯🍋

A general rule of thumb is to always have a source of vitamin C with your iron rich foods! 🍊An example of this would be having some fruit or fresh lemon juice with legumes. Additionally, since calcium inhibits iron absorption, avoid having too much dairy🥛🧀(or calcium supplements) in the same timeframe as an iron rich meal.

Take note of all the enhancers and inhibitors listed in this post and keep those in mind when planning your meals and snacks.🗒 Many plant based foods contain tannins, oxalic acids, and polyphenols, but some are higher than others! No need to avoid those foods, just be aware that they will interfere with the potential iron you will absorb from that food/meal! ⚠️

Knowing your labs is critical and remember to NOT supplement 💊with iron unless indicated- which should be directed by your healthcare provider.👩‍⚕️

If you want to maximize your health AND performance through improved nutrition strategies, apply to work with me! 🙋🏻‍♀️ Use the link in my bio or send me a DM with questions!

Will you be making any nutrition adjustments based on something you learning in this post? Comment below! 👇

Ever wonder what your meals should look like as a runner or endurance athlete? 🤷🏻‍♀️

You are probably familiar with the USDA’s MyPlate guidelines (if not, go take a 👀). That is a wonderful example of a balanced diet. ✅ HOWEVER ⚠️ it is NOT entirely appropriate for endurance athletes with a moderate to high training load.

Luckily, The Athlete's Plate® was developed (by UCCS' Sport Nutrition Graduate Program & the USOC Food and Nutrition Services)! If you are not familiar with that, go 👀 it up! 😃 You can even print off their awesome visuals!

The visuals here, that I created, are certainly inspired from both the MyPlate guidelines and The Athlete’s Plate®! It’s a great depiction of how endurance athletes should plan their meals throughout the day.

What to take from this? Your meals should be balanced to include complex carbs, lean protein, and fruits and veggies. Balanced both at meals and throughout the day! 🍉🥘

As for snacks, just make sure you get carbs and protein! If it’s directly before a run, sticking with simple carbs with low fat and fiber is a good option. But, all other snack opportunities, optimize the nutrition value (at least the majority of the time 🍪😉)

As an athlete, you not only need a lot more energy (calories) compared to sedentary individuals, you need a lot more micronutrients! That’s why it’s important to get a wide variety of healthy foods, spanning into all the food groups! 🫐🥔🥦🥑🍞🍣🌯(I might consider a burrito a food group 😂🤷🏻‍♀️)

Will you be making any modifications based on what you learned in this post? 🤔

If you’re ready to take your fitness and health seriously, it’s time you prioritize your nutrition and start eating for PERFORMANCE! 🏃🏻‍♀️🚴💪
Apply to work with me, using the link in my bio or send me a DM with questions!

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Please share this post! 🙌

You’ve probably heard of, or maybe even met, an endurance athlete who walks the fine line of healthy eating and disordered eating.

Often times, the person suffering from a poor relationship with food and/or body image isn’t even aware they have a problem until it starts to negatively impact their performance and health (injuries, frequent illness, vitamin/ mineral deficiencies, etc). 🤕🤒

Eating ‘clean’ and being very strict with training can be positive goals for many athletes, but it’s easy to take these too far. Some personalities are more prone to take these ‘healthy’ behaviors too far. Soon, the food and exercise is in charge of them and soon the grasp of reality is out of site- balance, intuition, and actual health is no longer in the picture. 🥴

I challenge you to take inventory of your thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors surrounding food and body image that could potentially lead you down a slippery slope of disordered eating. 🧐

Remember, it’s just as common in males, it’s just less talked about. 🏃🏼‍♂️

If this is something you would like to address or prevent, let me help you! Send me a DM or apply to work with me 1:1, using the link in my bio!

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Does your stomach give you a hard time during your training sessions? 🥴

If so, you are not alone! This is the most common complaint I hear from runners! 😲

Luckily, with some fueling modifications, and plenty of practice, you can train your stomach/ GI tract to tolerate enough food and hydration to make it through all your training session and races well fueled and feeling strong. 💪🏃🏻‍♀️

Out of the tips provided in this post, which one will you be working on? Comment below!👇

Going this alone can feel overwhelming and take a lot longer than getting help from an expert! I'm currently enrolling athletes into one of my flexible and affordable programs. 🙌 If you are interested in working with a sports dietitian, send me a DM with questions OR apply to work with me using the link in my bio!

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Share this post with the early morning runners you know! 🌄 🏃🏻‍♀️

If you head out for your run early in the morning, you still want to have a pre-run snack! The key is to keep it quick and simple so you actually do it. ✅ 😆

Start with choosing one of the ideas mentioned in the post and make it a habit. From there, you can experiment with bulking it up just a bit. For example, having a couple dates with your jam toast or having a fig bar with a banana. 🍞🍌

Remember to hydrate well the night before and the morning of. Have a glass of water and/or sports drink with your pre-run snack!💧

Since the pre-run snack will be very light, you want to make sure you bring extra fuel for during your run and start fueling early on.⏱

Keep in mind, even this small amount of food and hydration may get your bowels moving. If this is the case, just give yourself time to go 💩 before you head out.🚪

This will take some practice to figure out what works best for you. But with practice, your body will adjust to the early morning fuel, before your run. Once you get the hang of it, you will feel better during and after your run + stronger for your next run. Over time, you will notice a positive difference in the way you feel and in your performance! ☀️🏃🏼‍♂️💪

If you’re interested in working with a sports dietitian, fill out the form in my bio to set up a brief call! Together, we can discuss which program option would be best for you! 🙌

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How do you feel about your day-to-day eating habits? 🤔

While a specific fueling strategy surrounding your exercise is critical for optimal performance, your nutrition foundation is equally (if not more) important! 🙌

This is the first thing I work on with each one of my clients- getting their baseline/ day-to-day nutrition top-notch. ✅

If you’ve been questioning your daily eating habits, consider working with a sports dietitian 🙋🏻‍♀️ Together, we will optimize your day-to-day eating habits as well as develop the BEST fueling strategy, based on YOUR specific needs.

Apply to work with me- link in bio. I have multiple affordable program options.

What is the #1 thing you would like to improve with your daily eating habits? Comment below! ⬇️

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Do you have a constant sweet tooth? 🙋🏻‍♀️

You may feel like there is something wrong with you and that your sugar cravings are 'out of control'. Luckily, there is nothing wrong with you! With some dietary and mindset modifications, you can start to feel in control.

Most often than not, people who feel the most out-of-control with their cravings are those who restrict, and ignore their cravings/food preferences. 🙅🏻‍♀️

If you deem 'sugary' foods as bad or unhealthy and avoid these foods, the cravings will continue to get stronger. This will cause to you feel 'out of control' with sugar. 🥴

What I recommend is working on your mindset regarding sugar. Learn the facts vs. myths you hold. Sugar is not bad for you! What's important is having a solid nutrition foundation. This is the first thing I work with ALL my clients on!

If you have frequent sugar cravings, I recommend keeping healthier baked goods on hand. For example, I always have muffins, cookies, black bean brownies or whole wheat banana bread around. I eat these foods everyday! 😃 Just like many other people, I enjoy sweets so I make sure to include them regularly. 🍯🥞🧋

Make sure you have what you’re actually craving! If you eat what you actually want, you will find you are satisfied with a much smaller portion.🍫

If you start allowing yourself to have sweets/ baked goods whenever you want them, you will find that overtime, the cravings will diminish and your meals and preferences will balance out. 🥘🥙🍇🍪

If you're ready to get your cravings under control, I can help you! 🙌 Along with helping you with your endurance fueling strategy 🏃🏻‍♀️, I will help you develop a solid nutrition foundation that works for YOU! Apply to work with me through the link in my bio. I have multiple affordable program options to chose from.

Comment below about which suggestion(s) you will take to help manage your sugar cravings!
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What is one change you could make to your eating habits for better PERFORMANCE? 🧐

A common mistake endurance athletes make is eating too ‘light’ to support their performance. This often stems from a desire to be thin ‘for performance’, however, the outcome is usually stagnated or worse performance due to low energy availability. ☹️

While there is nothing wrong with yogurt and rice cakes (for example), try bulking these foods up by adding granola and fruit, or nut butter/ jam with toast. Adding these foods loads it with nutrients and provides more energy to support your activities. 🏃🏻‍♀️🚴🏊‍♀️

If you’re ready to take your performance to the next level, apply to work with me- link in bio!

Comment ⬇️ about what one change you can make to eat for PERFORMANCE!

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Can you relate to this?

Have you (or someone you know) experienced a nutrition 'fail' on race day? It can be so disheartening!

Bonking, GI and hydration issues on race day are the worst outcomes possible, you bought all the best performance gear, trained on those early rainy mornings, only to completely blow it on race day with no nutrition plan! 🤦‍♀️ but don’t worry, that’s where I help athletes succeed, I will help you establish a proper fueling and nutrition plan from day 1 of training 📆, so you can maximize your performance and allow you to peak on race day…not bonk, or have to DNF! 😅

Your fueling plan should begin on day 1 of training, it becomes part of your training, and you will start to recognize the benefits just like you see the benefits of your cross-training. 🏋️‍♀️

Getting in the mindset of ‘training for nutrition’ can be easy, just like hiring a running coach to help with motivation and improve technique, working with a sports dietitian will allow you to take your mind off your stomach and start breaking some PRs. 🏃‍♀️ 🏃‍♂️

I’ve worked with hundreds of athletes and have been able to witness breakthroughs of athletes who thought they had peaked, and all it took was a little focus on their nutrition.

Together, we will develop a solid fueling strategy that works for you, you will practice it through training and use it on race day. It will become habitual, where you employ the strategy as part of your day-to-day routine! ☀️

Improving your nutrition and fueling strategy will put you on the fast-track to meeting and exceeding your goals. There is no sense sacrificing so much into your training if you are going to blow-off prioritizing your
nutrition.
Apply to work with me - link in bio 💪🏼

Please share this post!

Comment below about the time and money you’ve invested in your training ⬇️

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Which one of these tips do you need to improve on? 🧐

It’s not just about the training you put in! 🏃🏻‍♀️ You can put in all the hard work, and remember to cross-train, stretch, etc, but if you’re not fueling optimally, you run a major risk of injury! 😬

It is too common for athletes to either abandon their baseline nutrition or fall significantly short on the 3 key fueling windows (before, during, and after exercise).

It’s time for you to inspect all aspects of your training. 🧐Are you eating enough to support a healthy weight for YOU? How is your nutrition? Are you scheduling rest days?

Comment below about which of these tips you will be focusing on. ⬇️

Are you ready to take your performance and health to the next level? Apply to work with me (link in bio). I’m a sports dietitian who helps endurance athletes maximize their performance and health through optimal nutrition and fueling strategies. 🍎🥯

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